‘Part of the reason for making (in fact a very large part of the reason) is to see things that I have never seen before- to build something that I can not fully understand or explain.’

Born 1960 in Hertfordshire, UK, Ken Eastman studied at Edinburgh College of Art (1979-83) and at the Royal College of Art, London (1984-87). He exhibits widely internationally and has won many prestigious awards in the field of the ceramic arts, including the ‘Premio Faenza’, Italy in 1995, the ‘Gold Medal’ at the World Ceramic Exposition 2001 Korea and the ‘President De la Generalitat Valencia’at the 5 th Biennale International De Ceramica, Manises, Spain. In 1998-99 he was awarded the Arts Foundation Fellowship in Ceramics.

The core of his work centres around the idea of the vessel. He has never made functional work, but rather uses the vessel as a subject- to give meaning and form to an expression. Working through the medium of ceramics, Eastman can be both builder and painter; can handle shape and structure, as well as exploring tone and colour. Alison Britton has written of his work: -

“Not being at all bothered about function, Eastman’s work with the pot form has been a consistent route into increasing abstraction, playing both with form and surface. That is what is potentially special about ceramics- you can have body and dress, sculpture and painting, essentially connected. Painting has always been a strong card for Eastman; he can be lyrical on the sheer walls of his objects. The gestures that are made with the brush are fluid and sensual, the colours rich and quiet.”

In addition to his studio work, Ken Eastman has lectured and taught in many colleges and universities throughout the UK and is currently Academic Research Lecturer at Glasgow School of Art, Scotland. ‘Ken Eastman, Behind the Gates of Clay’, a monograph about the development of the artist’s work was published in 2004 by the Barrett-Marsden Gallery, London. With an analytical essay by Jane McCabe, the book explores recurrent themes in Eastman’s work and the artist’s approach to making ceramics. Eastman was elected as a member of the International Academy of Ceramics in 2003

COURSE CONTENT

During the course participants will learn:

The workshop language will be English.

MATERIALS AND PREPARATION FOR THE COURSE

Included in the fee for this course are clay and firing costs. Participants will receive 20 kg clay suitable for the firings. You can purchase more if wish from our technicians.

Participants should bring with them their small personal hand tools. Remember to pack them in your stowed luggage not in hand luggage for flying. We can provide a basic tool kit for purchase if you need.

Your accommodation in a single room with shared bathroom on a self catering basis.

The basic materials and firings you will need for your course. (Extra materials may be purchased if you wish to make additional work.)

Teaching fee.

24 hour access to your studio.

A 50% deposit is required upon acceptance to secure your place on the course. The balance may either be paid in advance or in cash on arrival at the studio. It may be possible for you to make applications to arts councils and funding organisations in your home country to attend the course. We will help you in any way we can with any applications for funding you make.

Accommodation
Accommodation is in single rooms with shared bathroom and WC. Rooms are simply furnished with bed, desk, chairs, wardrobe and cupboard and supplied with clean bed-linen, pillows and towels. Artists have the use of modern, fully equipped kitchens with shared refrigerators, cookers and microwave ovens. All cups, plates, cooking pots, saucepans and cutlery is provided. There are spacious lounges and dining rooms. All accommodation is self catering.

We have an extensive library of ceramic books and magazines as well as other art publications. There is computer broadband internet access (wi-fi) in most areas. There is also a laundry facility with washers and dryer.

En-suite accommodation
We have a limited number of single en-suite rooms with their own shower and WC. If you require a single room with a private bathroom there is a supplement cost of 24,000 HUF for the course.

Studio materials and equipment
We have all the usual studio equipmen - slabrollers, electric and kick wheels, extruders, pugmills, ballmills etc. and we have 9 electric kilns of varying sizes, three gas kilns (firing to 1400c for porcelain), 4 wood-fired kilns, with one for saltglaze, and raku kilns.

Conditions
All participants must be insured for medical and personal liability for the duration of their masterclass at ICS.
For EU citzens - please bring your EU Healthcard.
During the work period the ICS may document and publish the work of the artist in publications or on the ICS website.
ICS cannot offer storage for any artist’s works after the masterclass is completed.

Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 May, 2016
Days free to visit museums, galleries, Budapest, or continue working if you wish.
Work made during the first three days will be fired ready for Monday.

Monday 16 May, 2016
Unpack kiln and discuss results.

Evening working – The studios will be available if you wish to continue making
items, though these sessions will not be taught. Additional materials to those provided by the course may be purchased from the technicians.

The tutor instructs students in health and safety issues relevant to this course. Students may work
unsupervised on agreed projects once they have satisfied the tutor as to their competence. There may
be restrictions on the equipment available to students in the tutor’s absence.